A Gory Tale of Lies, Greed and Deception

I really cannot recall if I ever missed March 23 live armed forces parade on TV until my late teens. Oh, what an ardent fan, devoted admirer I was of the military. Used to get thrilled by the majestic corteges and palatial

residences of generals. Incomprehensible difference between gratis luxurious sections at CMHs for kith and kin of military officers and stinking surgical wards for general public of government hospitals never struck me. Nor did I ever think of the extreme ridiculousness of city centres infested with hoses depicting Shaheens and Ghauris, old tanks, artillery pieces and military aircrafts.

Like all (West) Pakistanis I had always believed, as taught in the school, that erstwhile East Pakistanis were traitors, deserved to be dealt with iron fist. Never were we told about the grisly part our uniformed messiahs played in that tragedy. In short, the fairy tales of the grandiose accomplishments and utter infallibility of our armed forces hypnotized me, like most of the fellow compatriots. Reasons behind why Pakistani youth are more interested in killing and dying than in living never bothered me.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss. After high school, and to some extent with the advent of the Internet, and consequently an easy access to information beyond military-sponsored misinformation, a bit of objective analysis and euphoria evaporated. I realized how miserably hoodwinked we had been. Right from school textbooks to TV-serials we are popped with half-baked truths, historic distortions and mendacious hyperboles. What I discover was shoddier than my worst imaginations. What I found was altogether hollow aura meticulously created through systematic spin.

Believe me, it was like the entire world tumbling down on you. A sort of discovering that the person you had always adored and idolized was in fact a callous pedophile, a merciless rapist. I hope this is not true. I fear it is. I definitely don’t have any doubts about the imperfection of my analysis. Very possible, I have become “disoriented” due to over-consumption of books and/or brainwashed by “unpatriotic” news media. Who knows? But, rest assured, there is absolutely nothing personal in any sense behind my grumbling. Actually, I am still more than willing to be re-baptized, provided someone could refute what I have [finally] started observing, discerning (and writing). No one would be happier than I on this earth to be proven wrong. From the bottom of my heart I wish that someone could give me back the Pak Afwaj, I used to love so dearly; the military I used to revere so deeply.

Whatever, for God sake, don’t start rattling the [numerous] shortcomings of civilian politicians now in response. We all are well aware of their moral bankruptcy. The fundamental difference is that I as most of other Pakistanis have neither held them in high esteem nor trusted them in the first place. Military, on the other hand, expects/demands to be respected while behaving as badly, if not worse, than their civilian colleagues. Second, responsibilities are directly proportional to resources and authority. Being the ultimate arbiter of the country, the military must be much more answerable for their deeds.

"No legal plunder: This is the principle of justice, peace, order, stability, harmony, and logic. Until the day of my death, I shall proclaim this principle with all the force of my lungs (which alas! is all too inadequate)."
- Frederic Bastiat


I cannot imagine even degrading, let alone renouncing, the great services of the gallant sons of the soil who stand guard on our geographical borders against external aggression in the dead of night. Hats off to the defenders of the nation who imperil their today for securing our tomorrow. Not saluting these fearless lions would be an unforgivable sin.

Having solemnly said that, at the same time, I am tired of the emotional blackmailing, khakis incessantly employ to eschew debate on political affairs and stifle dissenting voices.

For example, assorted versions that military personnel are sitting at 20000 ft, not knowing that they will come down or not, does sound very moving but need to be scrutinized in relevant context. The least one should ask, is Pak army the only force on the face of the earth facing this uncertainty? Why to go so far, are Indian soldiers not manning same heights? What we have been repeatedly told, none less than the ISPR itself, our enemy is bunkered at even higher altitudes? So, have these hardships awarded Indian military a carte blanche to hijack the entire nation? Therefore, it is time to examine these much abused monologues bit closely and put some [very painful] facts straight.

First of all, apply whatever mode of calculation you like, the tragic truth is: Pak Army has killed manifold more Pakistanis than those who have hitherto fallen to Indian bullets. A dispassionate glance at Pakistan’s chequered history would easily substantiate my assertion.

Clues, in case one is running short of them or has poor memory: East Pakistan, MRD campaign, PNA movement, etc. And here we are talking of only direct death toll. The indirect loss of life due to diverting greater part of the precious little national resources available towards maintaining good-for-nothing military and sustaining extravaganzas of its higher echelons remains too large to be quantified. For that reason, the drivel of sacrificing lives for the country and all that totally devoid of substance rubbish recycled every now and then must come to end.

In fact, this bogus, self-serving criterion to devour public resources in addition to laying claims on executive power is nothing more than a farce. For putting things in perspective, kindly observe, the total strength of police force in Pakistan -- Punjab, Sindh, NWFP, Balochistan and Capital Police put together – is less than 15 % of armed forces. Despite that, only to epitomize, I can bet that the number of police officials fallen in the line of duty far exceeds than that of armed forces since October 12, 1999, the day our incumbent saviors once again took over to salvage the motherland. Using this benchmark, shouldn’t we ask, what about police officials dying with boots on? Doesn’t this entitle them too to take over Islamabad, under the cover of supreme national interests?

Then, for that matter, what does a soldier get paid/recruited for? To fight, if and when the time comes. And ALL armed forces of the world do it, often valiantly. Without raping their respective countries. If I dare ask – on the grave risk of my patriotic credentials, what extraordinary armed forces of Pakistan deliver compared to rest of the world, to warrant monopoly on every aspect of life?

There are over 600,000 American soldiers who have perished defending American interests during last 60 years. In many cases, according to our perspective, not defending America against intruders rather trying to forward its imperialistic designs in numerous illegitimate wars. In spite of all this, can anyone imagine the American chief of army staff delaying the implementation of the orders of the deputy secretary defense, what to talk about defying the orders of a “bloody civilian” president?

Comparison can be made easier: Since August 14, 1947, the day Pakistan came into being, more than 200,000 Americans have embraced ‘martyrdom’ in uniform. It means, judge against Pakistan the US has lost several times more of her sons per capita in wars. Have these ongoing sacrifices been translated into blanket kabza of the khakis in the US? No, absolutely not, the defense secretary can still sack the army chief on standing feet?

If that was not enough, one more bizarre fact. For the period of last 20 years at least 5 times more gullible Pakistani civilians have laid down their lives fighting real/perceived enemy than that of regular members of Pakistan military. Lead: Jihad in Indian occupied Kashmir and Afghanistan. See, could it become more reprehensible? Nameless civilian zealots waging jihad while our generals mismanaging everything from WAPDA to national sports teams and hording [ill-gotten] wealth while chanting the mantra of defending the fatherland on the peril of their lives.

And the goriest aspect of the biggest lie, the military serves the nation non-stop about its plunder, is yet to come. Alas, all those few who do lay down their lives defending the motherland get next to nothing in the land of pure. The wholesale “bandar bant” is only for star officers. Here follows the proof: The National Assembly was informed on Monday, September 8, 2003 that during the last 12 years of both political and military regimes (1990-2002) a total of 34 defense officers housing schemes of various sizes for officers of the Pakistan Army were established over an area of almost 1,000 acres of land. Out of 34, only two housing schemes of 15 acres have been launched for Jawans and non-commissioned officers.

Would it be wrong to say that these housing schemes are denying right of thousands of jawans, who remain on the frontline laying down their lives in the defense of the motherland. Put it in simple words, the GHQ awards large plots to officers, who buy them at dirt-cheap prices only to sell them off to civilians and make huge profits. It would be interesting to check how many of the original allottees still lived in these housing societies and how many have made quick money by disposing their plots of.

As someone pointed out the gallantry award holders were getting only cash awards and no plots in any schemes. Moreover, it should also be observed that generals are getting commercial plots in city centers, which were worth 200 times more in market value than the million rupees given to the dependents of a Nishan-i-Haider Shaheed. This shows the low priority attached to gallantry and the high priority attached to other qualities.

Just last year when as many as 200 old settlements were being bulldozed in Karachi in the Lyari Expressway scheme, 248 acres of prime land on the sea front were given to the Defense Housing Authority at the rate of Rs20 per square yard. The value of this land had been evaluated at Rs. 25,000 per square yard for commercial use and Rs. 15,000 per square yard for residential purposes.

To tell the truth, the inflated army of ours not only let us down on the battlefield, its annals of wreaking havoc on the country during peacetime is even more formidable. Let me exemplify: An ammunition depot was set ablaze in the midst of a metropolis of million-plus dwellers. Ojhri Camp. Should be kept in mind here, India and Pakistan, both had always avoided deliberately targeting civilians during the four wars they had fought against each other so far. In contrast, Pakistani generals don’t mind blowing their own countrymen up and putting a large city on fire whenever they feel [personal] needs for it. To which lengths our grand generals can go for their personal games, have your own opinion. I may add, a son of one of the main culprits is a federal minister today. The callousness of our top brass and their total disregard for the lives of fellow countrymen is palpably evident.

Now, please, don’t ask me for the smoking gun in this regard. Put it the other way round, reverse the proof burden. Any evidence, circumstantial or the factual one that exonerates General Akhtar Abdur Rehman & Co for this horrible act? Pertinent to mention here that the prime reason resulting in premature rupture of Mr Junejo’s dummy premiership was his futile attempt to release the official inquiry report of this “accident”. No one has heard of that investigation ever since.

The most authoritative account on the cost of military governance is documented by Hamoodur Rahman Commission Report, which held the military’s role in politics as the principal factor responsible for the break-up of Pakistan. Regarding the impact of martial law on military itself, it said in its chapter 26. "One of the major causes of our disgrace was the moral degeneration which had set in among senior army commanders as a result of their continued involvement in martial law duties right from 1958 onwards.

"Several respectable witnesses drawn from various sections of society, including highly placed and responsible service officers, have asserted before the Commission that [owing] to corruption arising out of the performance of martial law duties, lust for wine and women, and greed for lands and houses, a large number of senior army officers, particularly those occupying the highest positions, had not only lost the will to fight but also the professional competence necessary for taking the vital and critical decisions demanded of them for the successful prosecution of war.

"Allied with the corrupting influence of martial law duties is the fact that in order to retain the loyalties and support of the armed forces, the CMLA was compelled to offer to serving and retired military officers a large number of jobs ordinarily filled by civilians.”

The military in Pakistan had a long record of pathological misjudgments leading to vast, bloody consequences. Our entire history is witness to grim inanities of the top brass. Pakistan has been converted into a giant circus, where army clowns runs the show. Can we get rid of these phony characters? I don’t think so -- in immediate short term. But, yes, we can make a better showing by refusing them legitimacy and respect. Rhetorical fireworks, sparkling but fleeting shouldn’t impress us anymore.

Similarly, what I fail to understand is the whole paraphernalia of propaganda machinery brought into action by the ISPR to portray everyone among upper strata as Shaheed whenever someone pops off unnaturally. Is the concept of Shaheed, as exploited by the armed forces (civilian politicians are not better either), in consonance with the true spirit of Islam? For instance, is that filthy munafiq-e-azam Zia ul Haq really a Shaheed? Can Zia be considered Shaheed by any definition of the term? Is it not a sheer affront to real martyrs to append this sacred title to the name of such a disgusting person, the one who abused Islam and all that it stands for in the most shameful manner? Please, enlighten me, if I am wrong.

It is an undeniable reality that the military in general and army in particular has eaten up the very roots of this poor nation. Of course, there are some good exceptions. I agree. In PAF more than army. But almost entire (over 90%) high command of the army, and 70 – 80% of the air force and navy are modern day looters in ceremonial dresses – squarely responsible for the meltdown of the institutions. Mind-boggling, there are people who deem them honest and good for stability.

People do not have any problem with the military staff executing their stipulated duties in a dignified manner. It is the military’s nefarious top layer the people are getting increasingly allergic to. One must commend Musharraf for his astute assessment that Pakistan faces no external threats but only a threat from within. And to view that vicious enemy, he only needs to get his corps commanders along with intelligence chiefs assembled behind him, in front of a mirror.

Finally and most importantly, khakis need to undergo a social and attitudinal transformation to dispose of the misconception of being rulers. The mindset of the officer cadre must be corrected. It is long overdue to bring military into the ambit of the law of the land by abolishing the prevailing legal apartheid in the country. Likewise, to have uniformed batmen or orderlies for household errands in 21st century is really repulsive – there are about 50,000 of them. Shame.


“The trouble with most folks isn’t so much their ignorance, as knowing so many things that ain’t so.”
- Josh Billings